Questions for Nella Larsen

Dear Nella Larsen,

I have to admit, I was a little perplexed by your novel Quicksand. It seems that every time Helga moved to a new place, she felt fulfilled. Yet inevitably, she always left without fully grasping the happiness she had had a taste of. Despite learning the values of racial pride  in Harlem, self-confidence in Copenhagen, and faith in Alabama, Helga could never achieve fulfillment. This reality leads me to wonder: is your novel meant to suggest that African-Americans will never truly find their home or place in any society, or is it merely a criticism of Helga’s perfectionist personality? Are you arguing that blacks should content themselves with the life they have and not hope for anything else, or are you criticizing whites in power of not opening the gates of economic and social opportunity to blacks? I guess my overarching question is do you believe the responsibility to create a truly equal society rests with blacks or whites?

From,
    Shannon

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